


Stars

by orphan_account



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 14:37:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9611783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Even though the years may change, the stars don't.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Because I needed some fluff.

_ 1938 _

Steve leans over the cold grating of the fire escape, autumn breeze nipping at his cheeks with the promise of winter. The sky above is dark, the moon hanging in the sky like a pale scrap of paper. It’s nearly impossible to see any stars as the light of New York City reaches upwards like a lover, distant specks in the night sky fleeing from its spurned touch. 

And then, out from the black, twinkles a star, just on the edge of Steve’s vision. He cranes his head, squinting up at the sky to catch a closer look. It’s not the brightest, or the biggest, but it’s just enough to catch Steve’s eye. Staring up at it wistfully, he wonders who else is looking at it right now.

“Watch it, Stevie,” Bucky says as he crawls out the window. “You’ll catch your death of cold out here.”

He passes Steve a blanket -  _ his _ blanket, Steve notices, as he wraps it around himself. Bucky joins him, leaning on the railing with arms crossed.

“Look.” Steve points towards the star, delicate finger leading the way to an unknown constellation. “You can see one.”

“Huh, wouldja look at that.” Bucky follows Steve’s arm, and his eyes trail along the outstretched pose, the exposed wrist where his cuff has stretched back. “That ain’t something you see every day, is it?”

“No,” Steve replies, his face still upturned to the sky. “No, it’s not.” A faint smile plays about his lips.

_ 1944 _

“Couldn’t sleep?” Steve plunks himself down next to Bucky, who is staring at the fire with the half-present look of a man who is tired, but cannot rest. Bucky shakes his head mutely, and continues to watch the flicker of the flames.

Steve tilts his head up and sighs, breath ghosting in front of him in a small puff. It’s cold out in the forest, colder than he expected.

“Hey, look.” Steve nudges Bucky’s shoulder, rousing him from his half-slumber. “Stars.”

The stars are scattered across the sky like a carelessly flung handful of sand, sparkling in a way that Bucky had never seen before. Despite the chill of the night, the stars hold no warmth, or cold - only pure light, beaming down in small tendrils that flicker out of existence before they can caress their upturned faces. 

“You won’t get a view like that back at home,” Steve murmurs, and leans back on his elbows to better observe the night sky. Bucky turns his head to Steve, watching as the points of light dance across his irises. Steve’s face might have changed - his body stronger, taller, his jaw squarer and hair thicker - but his eyes were still the tranquil shade of blue that they had always been.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Bucky rests his head on Steve’s shoulder and stares up at the sky.

_ 2011 _

Steve looks out of the window at the chaos before him, feeling cocooned inside the small apartment SHIELD rented for him. For all the things that have changed, the familiar hustle of New York City is strangely comforting, even if the people are different. He looks up, watching as the blinking red and green lights of a plane sail overhead.

He can’t see any stars.

_ 2016 _

They’re completely off the grid - Bucky’s insistent on it. They paid for three month’s rent in cash for a neat little cabin, the kind upper-middle-class people rent out when they want to go camping, but don’t want to sleep in the mud. There’s no cell phone service out here, no wifi, nothing connecting them to the rest of the world.

Bucky sits on top of a small hill, staring past treetops into the sky. Steve follows his gaze and sees the familiar spray of the Milky Way, reflecting down on Bucky’s face.

“We did this before,” he says slowly, brow furrowed in concentration. “During the war.”

“That’s right,” Steve murmurs, easing himself down next to Bucky, trying not to spook him. “I said-”

“You don’t get a view like that back home,” quotes Bucky, and turns to look at Steve. “But you were wrong.”

Steve snorts. “Well you definitely can’t anymore, not with those giant billboards.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

Surprised, Steve turns to look at Bucky. “What do you mean?”

Bucky hangs his head and chuckles. “Nah, it’s stupid.”

“It’s ok, Buck. You can say it.” Despite his calmness, Steve can feel his heart hammering in his chest.

“It’s just - the stars are beautiful. But the view I want? It’s next to me.” Even in the cover of night, Bucky’s cheeks still flush red.

Steve half-chuckles. “Good to know you still have the cheesy pick-up lines.” He wraps his arm around Bucky, pulling him close so their sides meet. “The stars really are great, though.”


End file.
